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Not applicable.
This invention relates to a two-component, tamper-evident dispensing structure for a collapsible pouch that contains a fluent product.
Collapsible pouches are typically used for packaging a wide variety of products involving food, beverages, personal care, household care, or other similar or dissimilar products which may be in the form of a liquid, lotion, gel, paste, or the like. Such a pouch is typically made from a flexible, heat-sealable, polymeric sheet or from a flexible, paperboard or metal foil sheet having a heat-sealable, polymeric lining. The pouch typically has two, opposed, flexible web portions peripherally sealed to one another so as to define an interior region, which is adapted to contain such a product, and so as to define an opening for establishing communication between the pouch interior region and the exterior of the pouch. The opening is adapted to receive a dispensing fitment, which may incorporate a dispensing valve, and a removable cover, or other similar or dissimilar features, and which is molded from a polymeric material that can be heat-sealed to the web portions of the collapsible pouch.
An example of such a fitment, which incorporates a dispensing valve and a removable cover, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,050,451, which is assigned to AptarGroup, Inc. of Crystal Lake, Ill. As disclosed therein, a base of the fitment has two side walls, which converge at two opposed ends of the fitment and which are oriented vertically when the fitment is oriented vertically. Moreover, each side wall has a series of spaced ribs, which project from each sidewall and to which an associated one of the web portions of a collapsible pouch can be heat-sealed.
Although the above-described prior art structure functions well in the applications for which it is designed, it would be desirable to provide an improved dispensing structure which could provide additional benefits to the manufacturer as well as the consumer.
For example, it would be beneficial to provide an improved dispensing structure for a pouch wherein the dispensing structure can include a very easily opened, yet highly visible, tamper-evident feature.
It would also be beneficial if such an improved structure could accommodate the use of means for supporting the pouch as necessary to effect filling of the pouch with product prior to the pouch or fitment being sealed closed.
It would be advantageous if such an improved dispensing structure could accommodate molding of the structure by means of a simple, straight-pulled molding action in order to maximize the number of cavities in the mold assembly and in order to minimize cost.
Further, it would be desirable if such a dispensing structure, when provided with a tamper-evident feature, could function in a way that would eliminate, or at least substantially minimize, the creation of a waste piece requiring disposal after initially opening the dispensing structure.
Also, it would be beneficial if such an improved, tamper-evident dispensing structure, after being opened, would not have any piece loosely retained on the fitment in a way that would permit such a piece to flop around or jiggle loosely when the opened pouch is being used for dispensing product or when the opened pouch is otherwise being handled.
It would also be desirable to provide such an improved dispensing structure which, once opened, would provide only a minimal obstruction, or no obstruction, in the product dispensing area so as to avoid any significant interference with product flow, or with insertion of the dispensing structure into a receiving vessel or even into a user""s mouth.
Additionally, it would be beneficial if such an improved structure could be designed to readily accommodate reinstallation of a closure member, such as a cap, so as to allow sealing the system to be closed between multiple uses.
It would also be advantageous if such an improved dispensing structure could accommodate the optional use of an external or internal dispensing valve for controlled dispensing of product with a reduced likelihood of product spillage.
It would also be desirable to provide such an improved dispensing structure that would simplify the system for filling a pouch with product. For example, it would be beneficial if such an improved dispensing structure could permit the filling of a pouch through at least part of the dispensing structure in a stable manner on a manufacturing line and in a way that would subsequently readily accommodate closure of the dispensing structure.
The present invention permits the incorporation of design elements that would provide the above-discussed advantages, benefits, and features.
The present invention provides a tamper-evident dispensing structure for being sealed to a collapsible pouch. The pouch has two opposed, flexible web portions which are sealed to one another so as to define an interior region and so as to define an opening to the interior region. The opening is adapted to receive a portion of the dispensing structure when the dispensing structure is sealed to the collapsible pouch.
The dispensing structure of the present invention enables the manufacturer to fill a pouch with product and install the dispensing structure in the pouch in a number of optional ways.
In a preferred form, an empty pouch is initially sealed all the way around the periphery except for the opening into which a first part of the dispensing structure is disposed and sealingly attached. The attached first part of the dispensing structure includes a passage for accommodating flow of fluent material into or out of the pouch. The pouch can be filled with the product through the installed first part of the dispensing structure in the top of the pouch. Subsequently, a second part of the dispensing structure can be attached to the first part of the dispensing structure for creating a sealed closure. In a most preferred form of the invention, the first part of the dispensing structure is a fitment that includes a flow passage and that includes a plurality of support tabs which can support the fitment, with the pouch sealingly attached thereto, on rails for being conveyed through a suitable filling apparatus for filling the pouch with liquid product through the fitment. A second part of the dispensing structure, such as a lid structure, can be subsequently installed on the fitment to form a closed package.
In a second alternative, but one that is more complicated, the empty pouch could be first filled with fluent product, prior to installing the dispensing structure fitment and lid structure on the pouch. The dispensing structure fitment and lid structure could be provided as a already assembled, integral, closed dispensing structure for being heat-sealed to the top of an open pouch after the pouch has been filled with product through the opening in the top of the pouch.
A third alternative can be accommodated by the dispensing structure of the present invention. Specifically, the dispensing structure, including the fitment and an attached, closed lid structure, could be initially sealed to the opening in the pouch, but the opposite, bottom end of the pouch could be left open. Then the pouch could be inverted, and the pouch could be filled with product through the open end. Subsequently, the open end of the pouch could be sealed closed.
The present invention contemplates, however, that most product packaging users will want to take advantage of the ease and efficiency inherent in the present invention by using it in the following process: (1) providing an empty pouch which is initially sealed all around the periphery except at an opening at the top of the pouch, (2) heat-sealing the first part, or fitment, of the dispensing structure to the pouch at the opening, (3) filling the pouch with product through a dispensing passage in the fitment while the pouch and fitment are suspended from support tabs on the fitment, and (4) lastly, installing the lid structure on the fitment to form a sealed closure for the package.
According to a preferred aspect of the invention, the fitment has at least one surface for being sealed to the pouch around the periphery of the fitment at the pouch opening. The fitment also has a receiver for the lid structure and at least one dispensing passage through the fitment.
The lid structure is molded separately from, and can be subsequently mounted to, the fitment. The lid structure has a base for being fixedly and non-releasably attached to the fitment receiver. The lid structure also has a cap for being sealingly and removably mounted on the fitment to occlude the dispensing passage. The lid structure also has at least a first frangible web connecting the cap to the base for accommodating subsequent separation of the cap from the base.
In a presently preferred embodiment, the fitment has a body and a spout extending above the body and receiver for being closed by the cap. The dispensing passage extends through the body, receiver, and spout.
In a preferred form of the invention, the lid structure base and the fitment receiver are adapted to be snap-fit together.
In a presently preferred form of the invention, the lid structure further includes (1) a tear band that (a) is located between the cap and the base, and (b) is defined along one edge by the first frangible web; and (2) a second frangible web connecting only part of the tear band to the cap to leave the tear band attached to the cap after tearing the first and second frangible webs. This eliminates the creation of a separate tear-off waste piece requiring disposal.
Preferably, the tear band has a generally frustoconical configuration wherein the first and second frangible webs are each defined by a reduced thickness section of material. The tear band preferably includes a grippable tab and an opposite end portion merging with the cap, and the second frangible web extends from the grippable tab to the opposite end portion.
The cap may be sealingly disposed on the fitment by a suitable means, including friction sealing surfaces or sealing beads in conjunction with retention features such as threads or snap-fit bead and groove arrangements, and the like.
Preferably, the fitment receiver includes a platform extending over the fitment body, and the platform defines at least one aperture extending through the platform. The preferred form of the lid structure base includes (1) a post, and (2) an enlarged head that (a) is located at the distal end of the post, and (b) is wider than the aperture so that the head can be forced through the platform aperture owing to temporary elastic deformation of either the head or platform. Thus, the post can be received in the aperture with the head located adjacent the platform to retain the fitment and lid structure in a non-removable, snap-fit engagement.
In an alternate embodiment, a dispensing valve, such as a flexible, slit-type, pressure-openable valve, may be mounted within the dispensing passage of the fitment.
Numerous other objects, features, and advantages of this invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description, from the claims, and from the accompanying drawings.